Columbus, OH — USTA District 8A chairperson Joe Faraldo and directors Mark Loewe and Joe Frasure hosted the annual District 8A meeting on Thursday (Nov. 20) via Zoom.
The session included a discussion of and voting on the nine proposed rule and bylaw changes for 2026.
District 8A members in attendance voted on the following proposals:
- Resigning membership while under investigation — Approved
- Horse race fatalities reported to USTA — Approved
- Shoes off/shoes on — Rejected
- Horse retirement contribution from claims — Rejected
- Start caps for 2- and 3-year-olds — Rejected
- Deposit for appeals — Approved
- Stallion cap of 160 mares — Approved
- Standardbred as embryo transfer recipient mare — Tabled
- Executive committee composition — Rejected
Faraldo was reelected to serve another term leading District 8A.
In the coming months, remaining USTA districts will convene to address region-specific topics and vote on the proposed initiatives. All district voting outcomes will be compiled and presented to the USTA Board of Directors at the annual meeting in March 2026.
Members can find the full schedule of district meetings, including agendas and post-meeting recaps, here.
Members are also reminded that they can cast their votes online through their USTA accounts. Full details and instructions can be found via this link.